“So, you don’t want the tape either?” Dylan asked.
“I’ll take my chances.” With a flick of her wrist, Flora easily shrugged off Dylan’s hold, barely using any force.
“Betting on Justin’s future?”
“No,” Flora stepped back, her eyes shining with unwavering resolve. “I’m betting on my relationship with Justin.” And she thought to herself, If our bond is strong enough, we’ll face whatever comes our way together, without either of us having to give up anything.
Flora’s footsteps were light and swift as she left Dylan behind, his face turning pale.
In the eerily quiet living room, Dylan’s hands balled into fists, his veins popping.
He snatched a decoration from the table and chucked it at the TV. After the deafening crash, Dylan gasped for air, his eyes bloodshot, and snarled, “Flora, you’ll pay for this!”
He had expected her to cave, but she still wanted to fight. Fine…
Dylan slumped on the couch, his eyes flashing a terrifying, icy glare as he thought, I’ll make her taste the consequences, no matter the price.
Flora sped up as she left the villa. She was scared Dylan would catch up, and with Justin unable to find her or reach her by phone, he had to be worried.
Hailing a cab home, she spotted Justin’s car parked near the entrance of the building.
She jogged over and saw the car window half-open, Justin slumped against the steering wheel, seemingly asleep.
His short hair draped over his forehead, exhaustion etched across his face.
“Justin?” Flora bent down and called softly. He finally opened his eyes, furrowed his brow, and sat up, asking, “Flora, where’ve you been?”
Seeing the worry on his face, Flora circled the car and climbed into the passenger seat, saying, “Justin, there’s something I got to tell you.”
“What’s up? You look so serious.” Justin leaned over and wrapped his arms around her fragile frame.
The warmth of his chest comforted Flora, but the issue weighed heavily on her. “I found out what happened in the hospital parking lot.”
Justin tensed, pulling back a bit. “What do you know?”
“Everything from the beginning to the end…” Flora couldn’t help but recall the gruesome scene. She closed her eyes and continued, “It was all filmed, Justin. What do we do now?”
“Who did it?” The man’s voice held a chilling edge.
“Dylan,” Flora whispered the name, her eyelids quivering as she slowly opened her eyes. “My boss.”
“Why would he do that?”
At last, the conversation circled back to the crux of the matter. Flora hung her head, and the determination she had displayed just moments ago seemed so fragile.
In the autumn breeze, not far away, a sycamore leaf teetering on the edge of falling seemed to symbolize Flora in that moment.
“I met Dylan at Desire.” Flora looked away, her gaze falling on the window, her voice hollow in the quiet space. “Back then, I was tricked into signing a one-year contract with Desire’s boss. I couldn’t find a decent job, and I barely managed to survive at a small company, almost causing their bankruptcy. Then, my mom saw me leading a dance at Desire… I had no choice but to ask Dylan for help…”
Her usually gentle voice sounded weary to Justin’s ears.
Flora recounted everything that had happened, her fingers on her lap intertwining due to her nervousness.
She didn’t dare turn to look at Justin or meet his eyes. “Back then, I thought you were gone. So I thought nothing mattered more than keeping me and Mom alive. Justin, I’m sorry…”
For a long time, Justin didn’t speak, and only their uneven breaths filled the car.
He did mind that history of hers, of course, like everyone would do.
Flora chose to be honest and didn’t want to lie to him. But the long silence left her uncertain, losing confidence. Are things truly better left hidden behind lies?
Her heart felt desolate as she pushed the car door open, intending to step out. But Justin stopped her, asking, “Where are you going?”
Flora didn’t look back. Bathed in the bright moonlight, she replied with a hint of loneliness, “I want to go home.”
“Flora, I’m sorry for coming back so late,” Justin took her left hand gently. “As long as your heart is still with me, I can overlook everything else.”
“Don’t you despise me?” Tears welled up in her eyes.
He pulled her back into his embrace and said, “Listen clearly, your heart can only belong to me.”
Flora’s tears flowed freely as she nodded repeatedly.
Justin’s eyes, which had been resting on her neck, opened to reveal a mysterious depth, a mix of mockery and cold disdain. All he wanted was her heart.
“So, he wanted to use the tape to keep you by his side?” Justin pulled back, his gaze now filled with tenderness.
Flora wiped away her tears and nodded. “I didn’t agree to his request, but he’s capable of anything. If he hands over the tape…”
Justin cupped Flora’s face and let her rest on his shoulder. “No matter how powerful La Comte is, they can’t control everything. Besides, a single tape doesn’t prove anything. Don’t worry, I’ll find a solution.”
“Justin,” Flora sat up and clung to his arm, “don’t do such cruel things again. You used to be against this kind of violence…”
“The past is past.” Justin’s tone hardened suddenly, startling Flora, and even the vibe seemed to freeze.
Realizing his outburst, Justin softened his expression. “That punishment was what he deserved. Flora, no matter what happens, you must not agree to Dylan’s demands, understand?”
She nodded and agreed wholeheartedly, but her heart still felt uneasy, and the bad feeling only grew stronger.
Flora even hoped, perhaps naively, that Dylan was just trying to scare her and wouldn’t actually take action. However, he was a man with an intense desire for control, and his actions were always unpredictable.
The next day, as soon as she arrived at the office, the police came to inquire about the situation. When they asked about Justin, Flora couldn’t hide her panic. “What happened to him?”
The police replied, “Don’t worry. We’re just asking questions. It’s normal procedure.”
The video had landed at the police station, and now, a case was cooking.
Gossip spread like a California wildfire through La Comte. Farnection’s ownership had swapped, and just like that, its stock took a nosedive.
Now the CEO was caught up in a legal mess; trouble was definitely brewing.
Only after the police split did Flora sneak a message to Justin, “Justin, what’s the sitch on your side?”
Her phone stayed silent for what seemed like forever. At last, after ten minutes, it buzzed: “I’m good.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, resting her forehead on her folded hands. She and Justin had to keep it together to weather this storm, and this was just the tip of the iceberg.
“Flora, why were the fuzz after you?” Julie asked, holding a glass of water, looking puzzled.
“It’s no biggie, just about Lewis. They wanted some intel.”
“Oh, speaking of which, did you catch the news?” Julie checked to make sure the coast was clear, then leaned in and whispered, “I don’t know who pulled it off, but it was wicked brutal…”
By the window, Flora stared at the heavy clouds hanging low overhead. Justin had changed; his tactics were so icy that even she was shook.
Feeling claustrophobic in her office, Flora snagged her mug and bolted to the break room. She poured herself some coffee and plopped down at the counter.
She stirred the dark brew in her cup, lost in thought.
Across from her, she heard the clink of a mug and saw Dylan sitting there.
“What’s up? Stressed much?” he asked, though he already had a clue.
Flora grabbed her mug, ready to bounce. Dylan sipped his somewhat bitter Blue Mountain joe and said, “From day one, I pegged you as a down-to-earth woman. But I never thought you’d actually have the guts to throw him under the bus like that.”
